Fishing rod holder



Spt. 27, 1949. H. Koch! FISHING ROD HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.25, 1945 Sph 27, 1949. F. H. KOON 2,483,012

FISHING ROD HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1945 Patented Sept.27, 1949 *UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE Application November 23, 1945,Serial No. 630,208 2 Claims. (01. ia-42 This invention relates todevices to be temporarily attached to a part of a boat or other supportfor holding fishing rods when in use for trolling or still fishing, andhas as its object to provide an improved fishing rod holder of simpleand compact design, which will positively clamp rods of various diameteragainst escape and loss overboard, and yet will permit instantaneousrelease of the rod for unhampered handling in playing and landing afish.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rod holder which willhold a fishing rod at any desired horizontal or vertical angle, orcombinations of these angles, regardless of the disposition or directionof extent of the surface to which the holder is affixed, and anadditional aim is to provide clamping means for afiixing the holder tosuch surface firmly and immovably in use but with capacity for quick andeasy attachment and removal.

A variety of fishing rod holders have been proposed heretofore, none ofwhich to my knowledge completely satisfies the requirements met with inuse. one erect and one inverted U-shaped holding members to engage therod butt in spaced relation lengthwise of the rod, actually constitutedmerely a rest for the rod, and gave no substantial assurance againstescape and loss of the rod under a severe pull on the line or in casethe rod were tipped upward through contact with an Oar or tree branch orotherwise, or through accidental contact with the rod butt when the useris moving about in the boat.

rod frictionally, the clamp devices were either springs or operated bysprings, which gave only a yielding holding action instead of a positivelocking of the rod in the holder, with the result that accidental escapeand loss of the rod still 00- and elevations with respect to thesupporting sur-" face, thus impairing their utility. 7

With the aim of providing a rod holder overcoming all ofthese'drawbacks, while providing a Of these, the commonest typecomprisin In other devices which 7 sought to remedy this drawback byclamping the structure which can be simply, easily, and cheaplyconstructed, and one which will be light and durable but long-lived inuse, I have devised the novel rod holder shown and described in theaccompanyin drawings and description.

An allustrative embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 an end elevation,Fig. 3 an end view of the rod-clamping members, Fig. 4. a part-sectionaldetail of the actuating means for the rod-clamping members, Fig. 5 asection on line 5--5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 an enlarged view of certainof the parts of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a face view of a portion of the. clampwhereby the holder is attached to a supporting surface, Fig. 8 being asection on line 88 of Fig. 7.

The new device comprises a pair of cooperating rod-clamping members I,3, preferablyformed of sheet metal stampings, each of which has aportion 5, l, of segmental shape in section which grips the rod. Sincethe device is intended primarily to engage and hold the customarydoubletapered cork grip of the rod, the concavity of the inward surfaceof each laterally prolonged portion l, is similarly shaped or tapered toreceive the greatest diameter of the rod grip at midlength of theportions 5, l, and the lessened diameter of the rod grip at eachextremity of these portions 5, l. Rod-clamp 3 is pivotally connected tothe other clamping member I' by means of mating ears 9, I l, and pivotpin 13 therethrough.

The means for clamping the rod-clamps l, 3, about the rod comprise afinger lever l5 pivoted by a pin IT to the head l9, Fig. 4, of a screw2| threaded into an internally threaded member 23 which is pivotallymounted by pin 25 between two ears 2! integrally formed on rod-clamp 3.Finger lever l 5 comprises two wings 29 and an integral portionconnecting them, the whole being formed of one piece of sheet metal andthe wings 29 being bent up into spaced and parallel relation with eachother to lie in planes at right angles to that of the interveningconnectin portion, which is prolonged to form the part engaged by theusers finger in clamping and unclamping and spaced apart far enough toadmit the end of internally threaded member 23 therebetween.

Through this construction, with the rodclamps i, 3, in open relation andthe finger lever IS with its connected part swung back, as shownin Fig.3, the rod grip is inserted between the two concave portions 5, I, theseportions are manually closed upon the rod grip, the finger leverassembly is swung back over the rod to enter the member 23 or the screw2| between the lugs 33, with the finger lever I and its wings orientedas shown in Fig. 4, and the finger lever then depressed to bring theparts into the relation shown in Figs. 2 and 4, whereby the cam actionof surfaces 3| against lugs 33 draws the two jaws together to clamp therod grip tightly and positively between them. If the rod grip is notgripped tightly enough, owing to its size, the finger lever and itsassembled parts are lifted sufiiciently to clear the lugs 33 and rotatedto screw the screw 2! further into the-member'23, thus shortening thedistancebetween the centers I1 and 25, and cam surfaces 3| again broughtinto contact with the outward surfaces of lugs 33 and the finger leverdepressed into the locked relation of Fig. 4, drawing the upper ends ofrod-clamps I and 3 closer together to efiect a satisfactor clamping ofthe rod grip. As is obvious the screw 2I is unscrewed to accommodate rodgrips of greater diameter; this simple adjustment'ma king possible thesatisfactory use ofthe device onrods having a wide range of diameters atthe points in the length thereof desired to be gripped. The shaping ofthe cam surfaces on the finger lever and the clamp I is so related tothe location of pivot I? that the whole constitutes a powerful andpositive toggle linkage which stays locked until the finger lever isagain lifted.

Because the extent of the rod clamps I, 3, is considerably less than thelength of the rod grip, there is a sufficient length of such rodgripexposed at either or both ends of the rod clamps to "permit the hand ofthe user to get a secure hold on thered grip and at the same time toflip the finger lever 55 upward with a finger of the. same hand to throwsuch lever and its assembled parts clear across the rod and intoapproximately the position of Fig. 3. Thus'with practically a singlemotion of one hand the rod grip is seized and released from the clampsI, 3, and instantaneously withdrawn from the holder in order to play ahooked fish, with noneecl for the assistance of the other hand or anyundesirable endwise, lateral, or downward movement of the rod withattendant riskof slackening the line and losing the fish. The onlymotion involved is the natural and proper lifting of the rod and its tipregularl employed to set the hook and start the fish toward the'boat,and this can be accomplished without the slightest delay, the forefinger of the users hand striking and tripping the finger lever as hestarts to lift up on the rod butt and this finger closing about the rodgrip as the latter rises free from the rod clamps. At the same timeaccidental escape of the rod with resulting loss thereof is practicallyimpossible.

To enable the rod holder to be quickly and easily attached to the seat,gunwale or other suitable part of the boat, andto provide for holdingthe rod at any desired horizontal or vertical angle or combination ofthese angles, the shank of the rod clamp is extended down beyond thepivot pin I3 and the ears I I holding the latter, and this extension isprovided with a circular series of indentations or serrations 35concentrically disposed about a central hole 3! through which passes ascrew 39 equipped with a hand-nut or knob 40, and having a large fiatvertical angle about the axis of screw 39.

head 4| which bears against one side of the serrated extremity of rodclamp I to press the other side of this serrated portion against oneface of a generally U-shaped clamp member 43, Fig. 6. This side ofmember 43 has a single tooth 45 struck up from the surface thereof inradial relation to one of two holes 41, 49, through the two wings ofthis U-shaped member, such tooth engaging between successive serrations35 on the end of rod clamp I as shown in Fig. 2, thus holding rod clampsI and 3 at any desired The U-shaped member 43 is mounted upon a post 5Ihaving its reduced lower end 53 put through and headed over and thusfixed in a hole in a clamping bracket 55 of generally C-clamp shapeadapted to be fixed to the seat, gunwale, or other part of the boat.This bracket is provided with the usual thumb screw 5! threaded throughone end and equipped with a swivel 59 to bear against one side of thesupporting surface, while the opposing jaw of the bracket has itslateral edges struck down as indicated in Figs. 1, 7 and 8 in adirection toward the swivel, thus to provide sharp ,edges fii tocutintothe wood of the seat or other partandprevent rocking of the bracketabout the axis of screw 51.

To provide for adjustment of the rod clamps I, 3, about the post 5I, toadjust the horizontal angle of the rod withrespectto the boat, and tofix this adjustment positively after it has been attained withoutreliance solely on the frictional grip of u shaped member 43 on post 5!,the member43. is equipped at its .top and bottom ends with inturnedwingsI53, formed integrally with .the side portions of .the U-shaped memher,"two on each side portion, those at the top of member 43 being bent intoa commonplane substantially level with the top edge of member 43, andthose at the"bottom being folded intoa common plane level with thebottom edge of this member. The margins of these wings 63 which aretoward the bend of the U and thusare presented to the surface of thepost 5| occupying the bend of the U, as shown in Fig. 6, are cuttoconform, as does the bottornof the U, to thecurve of thecircularlportion of the surface of post 5]., The edges of the fourWings, combined with the semi-circular inward surface of the U bend inmember 43, thus define the passage through which post 5! extends.

- To provide positive locking of member 43 and thus" of the rod clampsI, 3, against rotation about post 5I,'the latter is not trulycylindrical, but is formed with two axially extending ridges or keys 65which are received in corresponding depressions or ways 61 cut in theotherwise circular margins of wings 63. Thus with the projections 65occupying certain of these depressions 37, and with hand-nut 4!]tightenedto clamp the U-shaped member 43 about post 5| and serrations 35against oneside of member 43 with tooth 45 lying between a pair of suchserrations, the rod clamps I, 3; are locked against change of thevertical angle of the clamps I, 3, with respect to the U-shaped member,43, or change of the horizontal angle of the clamps and member 43 aboutthe aXis of post 5i and'thus with respect to the bracket 55 and the seator other part of the boat to which the'latter is affixed. These ribs orkeys 65 are interrupted for a short space at a slight distance abovetheir termination at the bottom of the full-diameter portion of post 5|,so that to change the horizontal angle of the rod with respect to theboat it is only necessary to slacken r 5 the knob 40 enough to relax thegrip of member 43 upon post 5|, and thereafter slide member 43 upwardslightly on post 5| until the lower wings 63 reach the level of theinterruptions in ribs 65 and upper wings 63 pass off from the top ofpost 5 I, whereupon member 43 and the rod clamps I, 3, are shiftedangularly about the axis of post 5| to let the ribs 65 enter othernotches 61 than those in which they originally stood, the member 43being then again lowered until it rests on the top surface of bracket55, and knob 40 again tightened to maintain this adjusted position. Itis to be noted that the space purposely left between the opposingparallel edges of wings 63 serves just as do the notches 61 to receiveone of the ribs or keys 65 in certain positions of adjustment. Anydesired number of the notches 61 may be provided in th margins of wings65, to give the wanted scope of adjustment to the horizontal angle ofthe rod. As is obvious, the post may alternatively be made polygonal insection, with the contacting portions of the member 43 of conformingshape, to gain the same result.

The foregoing construction thus provides full horizontal and verticaladjustment of the angle of the rod with respect tothe boat, within itsscope, and also independent adjustment of either the horizontal orvertical angle without change of the other angle, while affordingpositive locking of the rod in the holder and of the angular adjustmentof the rod, yet still providing instantaneous release of the rod forfree manipulation in playing and landing the fish.

While I have illustrated and described a certain form in which theinvention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may bemade therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the particular form shown, or to the detailsof construction thereof, but what I do claim is:

1. A fishing rod holder having in combination opposed rod-clamping jawspivotally connected below the rod, a cam linked to one jaw and swingingover the rod to engage the other jaw and draw both jaws together toclamp the rod between them, one of such jaws having a serratedextension, a bracket for attachment to a portion of a boat or othersupport, a post fixed on such bracket, a clamp surrounding such post, aserration upon one surface of such clamp, and screw means pressing theserrated extension on the jaw against such surface of the clamp andclosing the clamp upon the post.

2. A fishing rod holder having in combination opposed rod-clamping jawspivotally connected below the rod, a cam linked to one jaw and swingingover the rod. to engage the other jaw and draw both jaws together toclamp the rod between them, one of such jaws having a serratedextension, a bracket for attachment to a portion of a boat or othersupport, a post fixed on such bracket, a clamp surrounding such post, aserration upon one surface of such clamp, and screw means pressing theserrated extension on the jaw against such 1, surface of the clamp andclosing the clamp upon the post, and means keying the clamp to the postso as to prevent relative rotation about the axis of the post.

FREDERICK HARRISON KOON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Peterson Sept. 20, 1938

